NYN | News
U.S. officials have revealed that the aerial campaign launched by President Donald Trump’s administration against the Houthis (Ansar Allah) in Yemen is approaching a cost of $1 billion in less than three weeks—without achieving its goals of weakening the military capabilities of the Sana’a forces.
According to a report published by CNN, three officials confirmed that the U.S. military operation against the Houthis has resulted in massive spending, while having a limited impact on the group’s capabilities.
The report noted that the airstrikes, which began on March 15, consumed hundreds of millions of dollars worth of advanced munitions, including long-range JASSM cruise missiles, GPS-guided JSOW glide bombs, and Tomahawk missiles.
Pentagon officials said that B-2 bombers flying out of Diego Garcia also took part in the campaign, alongside plans to deploy an additional aircraft carrier, several fighter squadrons, and air defense systems in the U.S. Central Command area.
One official stated that the Pentagon may need to request additional funding from Congress to continue operations, despite growing criticism from both parties in the U.S.
Vice President J.D. Vance reportedly described the campaign as a “mistake,” according to a private conversation disclosed by The Atlantic.
Despite daily strikes, the U.S. Department of Defense has not revealed the actual impact of these operations. Officials noted that the Houthis still maintain the ability to fortify their positions and store weapons underground—tactics they previously used during the Biden administration’s strikes.
Officials acknowledged that it remains difficult to determine the size of the Houthis’ remaining arsenal due to a lack of precise intelligence—a problem that previous administrations also faced.
The report cited informed sources saying that although several sites were destroyed, the Houthis continued targeting ships in the Red Sea and shooting down U.S. drones. Most recently, they downed another MQ-9 Reaper drone—the second such loss during the campaign, according to multiple sources.
Meanwhile, officials in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command expressed concern about CENTCOM’s consumption of large quantities of long-range weapons like JASSM and Tomahawk, which are considered vital in the event of a conflict with China.
Military planners warned that continued depletion of these stockpiles could undermine U.S. readiness in the Pacific region.
Separately, The New York Times published a new report citing Pentagon officials in closed briefings who said that the success in destroying the Houthis’ missile and drone arsenals has been “extremely limited,” according to congressional aides.
Three congressional officials noted that the Houthis, known for their resilience, have reinforced fortifications at targeted sites, making it more difficult for U.S. forces to disrupt their attacks on commercial vessels.
According to the report, the Pentagon spent approximately $200 million on munitions during the first three weeks of the campaign, in addition to the operational and personnel costs of deploying two aircraft carriers, B-2 bombers, fighter jets, and Patriot and THAAD air defense systems in the Middle East.
One official stated that total costs could surpass $1 billion within days, amid increasing likelihood that the Pentagon will be forced to seek supplemental funding from Congress.
